OK, I am a right of center leaning person but I for one am extremely heartened by the fact that an African American only one generation removed from a hut in a kenyan village is now vying for the most powerful position in the US.
That he could not only be a candidate, but a viable candidate with a real chance of securing the top job, speaks of an optimism that is sadly lacking in the world today.
I don’t know enough about the specifics of the man, but his charisma is self evident.
slightlyrighty, no need for the ‘but’ Obama is right of center too (see the political compass) maybe you’re comment should read “I am a right of center leaning person so I for one am extremely heartened” đ that said, he is (ever so slightly) to the left of Clinton.
“I don’t know enough about the specifics of the man, but his charisma is self evident.”
that people seem to think that’s enough to qualifiy one for the most powerful job in a coutnry is worrying. Key is trying the same thing on here.
Fortunately, Key is like a hollow bubble in people’s minds. a single prick (“did you know he wanted us to sedn troops to fight in Iraq?” “Did you know he said ‘we would love to see wages drop’?” “did you know he is going to cut spending and increase borrowing to fund tax cuts for the rich?”) and the bubble bursts.
An interesting site you link to. You could have chosen to link to this site ĂąâŹâ http://nj.nationaljournal.com/voteratings/ ĂąâŹâ which cites a study pointing out that Obama was the most liberal member of the U.S. Senate in 2007.
Steve (and mark down this time),
I agree with you (ouch, that hurt). Obama and Key have got to where they are right now based on very little substance. There are five months or so to the respective elections, though, and both will take major hits in that time.
The good thing for Key is that his party’s WAAAAAAAAAY in front. Obama, though, is virtually neck-and-neck in most polls in a head-to-head with McCain, so the drop-off he experiences will likely see him lose the election.
Maybe that says something about the other members of the senate đ
Just because his voting record is on the left of others doesn’t make his politics ‘left.’ Left in the US really means “less-right” like the political compass site says “Hillary Clinton is popularly perceived as a leftist in the United States while in any other western democracy her record is that of a mainstream conservative” a similar comment could be made about Obama.
That said, mainstream politics has moved to the right here as well, just not to the same extent, the political compass did an analysis of NZ political parties last election, The Labour party is, in terms of its actual politics, on the right, it’s only left when compared to National.
I wonder how accurate that is, or perhaps its simply my (mis)perception being close to NZ politics. But looking at this it appears that Labour is roughly equally close to National, the Greens, and the Progressives. I don’t really think the chances of a coalition involving each of those is equally likely (and remember this is for 05 where National was much further right than at present). It does provide an interesting view on the Labour/National/Green and Labour/National/Maori axes.
Key is a lot like George W Bush. Key comes to politics as a hobby. Key has no principles. Key is manufactured. Key is a PR exercise with no substance. Key tells you want you want to hear to get your vote. In short, Key is slippery as a snake in wet grass.
That is how the US got W twice. Is that what NZ wants?
I know Obama talks change, but no matter who wins in the US there is change. That is how the system works. W can’t run again – thank god! So, it is not the same situation as here in NZ.
Still too close to call just yet though. Obama has charisma and the “change” meme on his side, so McCain has to be seen as the under-dog in those regards.
Steve Pierson – with due respect, seeing as this is your blog, and I am a mere guest, WTF does John Key have to do with Barack Obama, and why do you guys feel the need to use any thread to denigrate him?
IV2 – John Key is looking to become PM of NZ without a policy platform. Most thinking people are unsettled by this – though some of them just dislike the Labour Party that they see in the media so much that want any kind of “change”.
Others are purely ideologically right-wing so invite Key’s secret agenda- i.e. the fact that he hasn’t announced policy gets them even more exited because they suspect it’s so right-wing that it’s dangerous to announce to the public.
This is why thinking people on the left are scared of John Key
The difference between Key and Obama is that just to reach this point (in each case, roughly 5 months out from an election) Obama has been through dozens of lengthy televised debates, countless interviews, all kinds of scrutiny, day in, day out, exhausting and exhaustive, at the hands of some of the toughest media in the world, comprising literally thousands of journalists and other interrogators.
There’s clearly a lot more there than just charisma, or he would have fallen by the wayside long ago.
On the other hand, to reach this point Key has had to smile a lot, and say “cheese”.
Anyway, the point of my post was that this is a thread about Barack Obama. This is a historic day – an American party selecting an African-American to run for the White House. To turn it into yet ANOTHER Standard thread attacking John Key trivialises Obama’s achievement.
Well, that’s the first part of that bet lost. Way back before the primaries started I picked Clinton to lose to McCain in the eventual election. Looks like I might lose the second part, too, thought I won’t be too sad either way.
Bringing it back to Key-Obama, I think a lot of the discourse is interesting. Neither have much real policy, both are positioning themselves as The Future – different futures, but there’s not all that much information about HOW different except what party’s lapel pin they wear (and in what country, natch). Yet people seem to be responding differently to them despite this lack of information, and making no allusions to what they do or don’t actually value.
As far as Obama goes, and why I hold a higher opinion of him than I do of Key: the fact that he’s black matters a lot to me, and gives his `change’ message an amount of credibility that a middle-aged white man with a finance background can’t muster. Also – the man can speak. I lamented when Tony Blair left Number 10 that English-language politics had lost one of its few genuinely great orators. Don’t care much for Blair’s policies, but he could speak, and that matters. Obama is in the same league. Bill Clinton was arguably so. (Churchill still chairs that great debate in the sky).
I’d like to believe that Obama as El Presidente would change anything in the US and, by ripple effect, the world. But it will most definitely be business as usual.
The US is now a corporatist state. EVERYTHING that can be has been or is being outsourced/ privatised..’homeland security’, logistical backup to their armed forces, welfare programmes, prisons, education system…the list goes on.
Obama could only run with massive underwritings from the corporate sector…same as all the others. He is ‘their’ man. They all are. Forget the fact he is Afro/American. He will do as much positive stuff for them as a section of the population as Margaret Thatcher did for British women in the 80s…sweet F.A.
The difference between Key and Obama is that just to reach this point (in each case, roughly 5 months out from an election) Obama has been through dozens of lengthy televised debates, countless interviews, all kinds of scrutiny, day in, day out, exhausting and exhaustive, at the hands of some of the toughest media in the world, comprising literally thousands of journalists and other interrogators.
The media is undoubtedly in love with Obama, so I think you’re overstating just how much scrutiny he’s come under. Obama did get a tough time in one of the ABC debates, but that’s about it.
He has been to 57 states, though, (or is it 60?) so he’s obviously campaigning hard đ
“Over the last 15 months, we’ve traveled to every corner of the United States. I’ve now been in 57 states? I think one left to go. Alaska and Hawaii, I was not allowed to go to even though I really wanted to visit, but my staff would not justify it.”
As much as I’d like to say it, Obama will be President, it doesn’t smack of much conviction.
Regardless of the fact the senate is largely democratic, it’s no indication of having a democratic president. Clinton got in when the senate was fully republican.
Aside from that, MHO is that Americans are too emotionally retarded to entertain the notion of a black president. They can’t even conceive of bi-racial relationships “You go out with a black man? But you’re white!”, something that’s the norm here.
All power to Obama though, I just don’t think he’s going to be the victor.
I find it largely amusing that Ron Paul is still running to be a Presidential candidate. Perhaps he’s bored?
Aside from that, MHO is that Americans are too emotionally retarded to entertain the notion of a black president.
Not sure if it’s emotional retardation that’s holding them back, but it’s pretty clear to me they won’t vote a black man president. Just look at the Democratic primaries; if there’s race-based voting there, and there certainly has been, then the Dems have thrown all their eggs in the wrong basket. It’s no secret Republicans will be even less likely to vote a black man in.
Given the low ratings of the Bush administration and dissatisfaction with the Iraq war, John Edwards (or Dodd or Biden or Richardson) may well have waltzed into the White House. But the Dems wanted an out-of-the-box candidate (black man or white woman), but that may now backfire on them because they’re not starting with every voter in play.
“Don’t care much for Blair’s policies, but he could speak, and that matters. Obama is in the same league. Bill Clinton was arguably so. (Churchill still chairs that great debate in the sky).”
Interesting article by Jon Johannsen in the Listener saying he finds Obama’s speeches are generally far too long.
Will be interesting to see who he choses as VP. Probably John Edwards? Hard to imagine Hillary being VP.
“Aside from that, MHO is that Americans are too emotionally retarded to entertain the notion of a black president. They can’t even conceive of bi-racial relationships “You go out with a black man? But you’re white!’, something that’s the norm here.”
Apparently white men dating black women is something of a taboo within the African American community? The prejudice doesn’t just come from one side.
In terms of race as a factor in the election, it will be interesting to see whether Obama can win over Hispanic voters, who generally supported Hillary. http://www.newsweek.com/id/104725
I think you underestimate the “mood for change” in the US.
Many people want a shift back to humane liberalism, and are cynical about getting that from an aged, white Republican.
At this stage Obama’s definitely odds on, though it really depends on whether the corporate media (which ultimately is controlled by only a dozen or so very wealthy individuals) decides to turn on him or not.
Maybe you’re right about the mood for change. But, as much as the Dems like talking about a “third Bush term”, McCain is vastly different from Dubya. There will be a fair amount of change if McCain gets in, though not necessarily in the areas the American public want.
Part of the US mood for change is the desire for less partisanship in Washington. The fact is that McCain has been as bipartisan as anyone in recent memory, which is a marked contrast from Obama who talks about reaching across the aisle but whose record shows little, if any, action in that regard.
McCain also has unRepublican views on things like climate change and immigration and interrogation etc etc, so he’s going to grab a lot of independents and those racist Democrats who won’t vote for a black man.
McCain is also much more down-to-earth than Obama. Americans have something of a recent history of voting for guys they’d like to have a beer with; I think McCain wins that (small) demographic.
Regarding the media, I can’t see the big media folks turning on Obama. How great is the first-black-president story? Too good to try to disrupt.
Ben: I’ve a lot of time for Jon’s work on leadership, (his paper on Orewa is particularly valuable to my research) so I’ll track this article down. Long or not, Obama is an orator.
Incidentally, there’s a lot of waffle, mostly among people who don’t really know what they’re talking about, on the `presidentialisation’ of NZ politics. Most people take this to mean that the personality of a leader is seen to trump party policy, but in actuality a presidential system is wildly different. I think with two campaigns running mostly in parallel in the US and NZ we’ll have an interesting case study to look at this idea.
“Many people want a shift back to humane liberalism, and are cynical about getting that from an aged, white Republican.”
Right, so Condoleezza Rice would have been ok then? What has McCain’s skin colour got to do with anything? Would you doubt John Edwards’ commitment to humane liberalism on that basis too?
Ben R – it’s more a combination of factors than any one of them. Oh and yes, I think Condoleezza Rice(without her “bush connection”) could sell a platform based on humane liberalism better than McCain could.
Like it or not demographic status has an impact – even if only for the way that the media uses culturally recognisable “frames” to elicit associations between a candidate and certain characteristics supposedly associated with their demographic.
i.e. “welfare’ portfolios are often handled by women for this reason because they’re seen to have “caring” and “nurturing” qualities etc . Because of the qualities ascribed to them the’re seen to be more “credible” in those roles.
roger nome said “IV2
“To turn it into yet ANOTHER Standard thread attacking John Key trivialises Obama’s achievement.’
If you believe that so strongly, why are you attempting to make this thread about John Key?”
Aw gee – actually rog, I didn’t. Steve P did, about five posts in
“Steve Pierson
June 4, 2008 at 1:45 pm
“I don’t know enough about the specifics of the man, but his charisma is self evident.’
that people seem to think that’s enough to qualifiy one for the most powerful job in a coutnry is worrying. Key is trying the same thing on here.
Fortunately, Key is like a hollow bubble in people’s minds. a single prick (‘did you know he wanted us to sedn troops to fight in Iraq?’ “Did you know he said ĂąâŹËwe would love to see wages drop’?’ “did you know he is going to cut spending and increase borrowing to fund tax cuts for the rich?’) and the bubble bursts.”
So roger nome – just in case you’re too obtuse to notice; the thread is entitled “Obama clinches nomination” – Steve doesn’t mention Obama at all, but twice refers to Key in unflattering terms. I would have thought that after his earlier “gossip” thread about Key “buying” his seat, he had an adequate forum to attack Key. But to me, it simply adds to the perception that The Standard exists soley to denigrate Key. However, as I said in the first contribution to this thread, it’s his blog, and I am a mere guest!
Thanks for the link Gobsmacked. Glancing at his policies I see he is more right wing than I thought (It would be nice if we could get this much information from John Key). Looks like all America is getting is a change of face. Not that I ever expected there to be real change in America.
Scribe, McCain has a reputation for being a mavericky bipartisan that his record doesn’t live up to. On his signature claims in this regard he has backtracked in order to get the nomination.
He voted to allow the CIA to use torture, the bill passed anyway but Bush vetoed it. On gay rights and other social issues he has gone from calling the hard right ‘agents of intolerance’ to courting their votes and endorsments. On “Executive authority” he has gone from saying that the President must obey all laws passed by congress regardless of circumstances, to of course the President can ask telecom. companies to spy on US citizens without warrants and of course they should comply. He has gone from saying that Bush’s tax cuts were reckless, to saying he will not only extend them, but massively increase them. He is BushIII in any way that matters.
Obama has shown that he can work accross the aisle in many places. The senate in the last few years has not been conducive to this because the GOP has been the party of NO. They have fillibusted and held up more legislation in the last two years than any other congressional minority has managed to do in four. So it’s pretty rich to blame Obama for this.
Back in his state career many Republicans speak well of him. He managed to pass a law requiring video taping of confessions and interrogations for suspects in death penalty cases. This law was needed because some convicted guys were getting off on appeal due to police brutality and suspect confessions.
Initially he was opposed by the police (who didn’t like being tarred with the nasty stuff), the republicans (who find it hard to look soft with regard to the death penalty), and the democrats (who are scared of the republicans calling them soft on crime). Obama worked the aisle, got the support of the police and the bill passed unanimously. He won everyone over. If you havn’t heard of this it’s because the press loves Obama and really wants to tell his story. But only if it involves him bowling. On account of Obama being such an elitist and all.
You claim that Obama gets a free ride from the press, noting the state number gaffe. Really? How about the fact that McCain, when speaking on Iraq which is supposed to be his area of super duper knowledge, he can’t get the basics right. Like how many troops were there before the surge. Or who is allied to Iran. Or who the shiites are. Or the strength of AQ in Iraq. Or whether or not Petraeus can drive around without security. How often do these “gaffes” get mentioned in comparison to Obama’s preacher? Which issue more important to Americans according to the polls?
I think McCain has had the free ride, and that once the nomination gets settled he won’t be able to hide. Obama seems eager to go after him in a way no Democrat candidate has done for a while. McCains speech today was purely defensive, trying to say “I’m not Bush, honest”.
Good luck with that John, Bush is going to be speaking at your convention and he still has 28 percent support. It’s pathetic but McCain absolutley needs those 28 percenters.
Brett: I’m afraid I think that Fox news is probably the classic bottom feeder news service. Their ‘news service’ looks far more like an entertainment channel than anything real.
But I thought people might be amused by this link I ran across while hunting other material.
Hey Lynn, wonderful. The left hand side is an almost perfect profile of my own viewing of those US channels that are available here. No wonder I believe the 2004 election was stolen.
[Captcha: reality sloppy… now I’m starting to believe in the captcha monkey]
Aside from that, MHO is that Americans are too emotionally retarded to entertain the notion of a black president.
How ridiculous to direct that comment toward Americans in general! As a New Englander, I’ve not met a single person who would vote for McCain! The Northern U.S. is all for Obama! I realize that my country gets a bad rap due to our current politics, but most of us up here believe the past two elections to be entirely corrupt.
In general saying “Americans are like this” is like saying “Europeans are like that”. It’s silly more than anything.
It’s tempting for those of us on the fringes of the empire to generalise the attitudes of America’s government to her citizens, or to imagine that the stereotype of one region applies across the whole nation.
It seems to me, looking from afar, that the stereotype often used is the same one that some US politicians use to describe the ‘real American’. That’s unhelpful.
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The City Rail Link has been in the headlines a bit recently so I thought I’d look at some of them. First up, yesterday the NZ Herald ran this piece about the ongoing costs of the CRL. Auckland ratepayers will be saddled with an estimated bill of $220 million each ...
Is this the most shambolic government in the history of New Zealand? Given that parliament hasn’t even opened they’ve managed quite a list of achievements to date.The Smokefree debacle trading lives for tax cuts, the Trumpian claims of bribery in the Media, an International award for indifference, and today the ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis late yesterday stopped only slightly short of accusing her predecessor Grant Robertson of cooking the books. She complained that the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU), due to be made public on December 20, would show âfiscal cliffsâ that would amount to âbillions of ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The year was 2015. ‘Uptown Funk’ with Bruno Mars was at the top of the music charts. Jurassic World was the most popular new movie in theaters. And decades of futility in international climate negotiations was about to come to an end in ...
As a heads-up, I am not one of those people who stay awake at night thinking about weird Culture War nonsense. At least so far as the current Maori/Constitutional arrangements go. In fact, I actually consider it the least important issue facing the day to day lives of New ...
Strong Words: âWe do not consent, we do not surrender, we do not cede, we do not submit; we, the indigenous, are rising. We do not buy into the colonial fictions this House is built upon. Te PÄti MÄori pledges allegiance to our mokopuna, our whenua, and Te Tiriti o ...
Some days it feels like the only thing to say is: Seriously? No, really. Seriously?OneSomeone has used their health department access to share data about vaccinations and patients, and inform the world that New Zealanders have been dying in their hundreds of thousands from the evil vaccine. This of course is pure ...
Buzz from the Beehive After $21.8 million was spent on investigations, the plug has been pulled on the Lake Onslow pumped-hydro electricity scheme, The scheme â Â that technically could have solved New Zealandâs looming energy shortage, according to its champions – was a key part of the defeated Labour governmentâs ...
If those elected to the MÄori Seats refuse to take them, then what possible reason could the country have for retaining them? Chris Trotter writes â Christmas is fast approaching, which, as it does every year, means gearing up for an abstruse general knowledge question. âWho was ...
The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies.Brian Easton writes – The two coalition agreements â one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First â are more than policy documents. ...
Geoffrey Miller writes â New Zealandâs international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific â where Peters will be picking up where he ...
The most charitable explanation for Nationalâs behaviour over the smokefree legislation is that they have dutifully fulfilled the wishes of the Big Tobacco lobby and then cast around â incompetently, as it turns out – for excuses that might sell this health policy U-turn to the public. The less charitable ...
As Deb Te Kawa writes in an op-ed, the new Government seems to have immediately bought itself fights with just about everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Monday December 4, including:Palau’s President ...
Let’s begin today by thinking about job interviews.During my career in Software Development I must have interviewed hundreds of people, hired at least a hundred, but few stick in the memory.I remember one guy who was so laid back he was practically horizontal, leaning back in his chair until his ...
New Zealandâs international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific â where Peters will be picking up where he left off. Peters sought to align ...
Auckland’s city rail link is the most expensive rail project in the world per km, and the CRL boss has described the cost of infrastructure construction in Aotearoa as a crisis. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The 3.5 km City Rail Link (CRL) tunnel under Auckland’s CBD has cost ...
The first big test of the new Government’s approach to Treaty matters is likely to be seen in the return of the Resource Management Act. RMA Minister Chris Bishop has confirmed that he intends to introduce legislation to repeal Labourâs recently passed Natural and Built Environments Act and its ...
Time to revisit something I haven’t covered in a while: the D&D campaign, with Saqua the aquatic half-vampire. Last seen in July: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2023/07/27/the-song-of-saqua-volume-ii/ The delay is understandable, once one realises that the interim saw our DM come down with a life-threatening medical situation. They have since survived to make ...
A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 26, 2023 thru Dec 2, 2023. Story of the Week CO2 readings from Mauna Loa show failure to combat climate changeDaily atmospheric carbon dioxide data from Hawaiian volcano more ...
Affirmative Action was a key theme at this election, although I don’t recall anyone using those particular words during the campaign.They’re positive words, and the way the topic was talked about was anything but. It certainly wasn’t a campaign of saying that Affirmative Action was a good thing, but that, ...
It was at the end of the Foxton straights, at the end of 1978, at 100km/h, that someone tried to grab me from behind on my Yamaha.They seemed to be yanking my backpack. My first thought was outrage. My second was: but how? Where have they come from? And my ...
There’s no news to be gleaned from the government’s official website today – it contains nothing more than the message about the site being under maintenance. The time this maintenance job is taking and the costs being incurred have us musing on the government’s commitment to an assault on inflation. ...
Don’t you sometimes wish they’d just tell the truth? No matter how abhorrent or ugly, just straight up tell us the truth?C’mon guys, what you’re doing is bad enough anyway, pretending you’re not is only adding insult to injury.Instead of all this bollocks about the Smokefree changes being to do ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Friday Under New Management Week in review, quiz style1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. ...
Like earlier this year, members from our team will be involved with next year's General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU). The conference will take place on premise in Vienna as well as online from April 14 to 19, 2024. The session catalog has been available since November 1 ...
1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. Under New Management 2. Which of these best describes the 100 days of action announced this week by the new government?a. Petulantb. Simplistic and wrongheaded c. ...
Labourâs immigration spokesperson Phil Twyford is calling on the Government to follow the example of Australia and help New Zealandersâ close family members stuck in Gaza to escape and take shelter here. ...
The Green Party is urging the Government to recognise its commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi so our tamariki and mokopuna can grow up in an Aotearoa where their language is celebrated, their health is prioritised, and their whenua is protected. ...
By scrapping Aotearoaâs world-leading smokefree laws, this government is sacrificing MÄori lives to fund tax cuts for the wealthy. Not only is this plan revolting, but it doesnât add up. Treasury has estimated that the reversal of smokefree laws to pay for tax cuts will cost our health system $5.25bn, ...
Figures showing National needs to find another $900 million for landlords highlights the mess this coalition Government is in less than a week into the job. ...
Community organisations, mana whenua and the Greens have written to the incoming Minister of Oceans and Fisheries to call for the progression without delay of the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill. ...
"On behalf of the Labour Party I would like to congratulate Christopher Luxon on his appointment as Prime Minister,â Labour Party Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
NZ First has gotten their wish to âtake our country backâ to the 1800s with a policy program that will white-wash Aotearoa and erase tangata whenua rights. By disestablishing the MÄori Health Authority this Government has condemned MÄori to die seven years earlier than PÄkehÄ. By removing Treaty obligations from ...
Te PÄti MÄori have called for the resignation of the Ministry of Foreign and Trade chief executive Chris Seed following his decision to erase te reo MÄori from government communications. While the country still waits for a new government to be formed, Mr Seed took it upon himself to undermine ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Cyclone Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell and Transport and Local Government Minister Simeon Brown, to meet leaders of cyclone and flood-affected regions in the Hawkeâs Bay. The visit reinforced the coalition Governmentâs commitment to support the region and better understand its ongoing requirements, Mr Mitchell says. ...
New Zealand has joined the UK and other partners in condemning malicious cyber activity conducted by the Russian Government, Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau Judith Collins says. The statement follows the UKâs attribution today of malicious cyber activity impacting its domestic democratic institutions and processes, as well ...
The Government has begun the process of disestablishing Te PĆ«kenga as part of its 100-day plan, Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds says. âI have started putting that plan into action and have met with the chair and chief Executive of Te PĆ«kenga to advise them of my ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will be leaving for Dubai today to attend COP28, the 28th annual UN climate summit, this week. Simon Watts says he will push for accelerated action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement, deliver New Zealandâs national statement and connect with partner countries, private sector leaders ...
The Government is committed to lifting school achievement in the basics and that starts with removing distractions so young people can focus on their learning, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. Â The 2022 PISA results released this week found that Kiwi kids ranked 5th in the world for being distracted ...
Today I met with Police Commissioner Andrew Coster to set out my expectations, which he has agreed to, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. Under section 16(1) of the Policing Act 2008, the Minister can expect the Police Commissioner to deliver on the Governmentâs direction and priorities, as now outlined in ...
New Zealand needs a strong and stable Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) that is well placed for the future, after emission units failed to sell for the fourth and final auction of the year, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. At todayâs auction, 15 million New Zealand units (NZUs) â each ...
With 2022 PISA results showing a decline in achievement, Education Minister Erica Stanford is confident that the Coalition Governmentâs 100-day plan for education will improve outcomes for Kiwi kids. The 2022 PISA results show a significant decline in the performance of 15-year-old students in maths compared to 2018 and confirms ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today departed for New Caledonia to attend the 8th annual South Pacific Defence Ministersâ meeting (SPDMM). âThis meeting is an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security matters and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the Pacific,â Judith Collins says. ...
Putting more money in the pockets of hard-working families is a priority of this Coalition Government, starting with an increase to Working for Families, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. âWe are starting our 100-day plan with a laser focus on bringing down the cost of living, because that is what ...
Most weeks, following Cabinet, the Prime Minister holds a press conference for members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery. This page contains the transcripts from those press conferences, which are supplied by Hansard to the Office of the Prime Minister. It is important to note that the transcripts have not been edited ...
The Government has axed the $16 billion Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme championed by the previous government, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says. âThis hugely wasteful project was pouring money down the drain at a time when we need to be reining in spending and focussing on rebuilding the economy and ...
New Zealand welcomes the further one-day extension of the pause in fighting, which will allow the delivery of more urgently-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza and the release of more hostages, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said. âThe human cost of the conflict is horrific, and New Zealand wants to see the violence ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters today expressed on behalf of the New Zealand Government his condolences to the family of former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who has passed away at the age of 100 at his home in Connecticut. âWhile opinions on his legacy are varied, Secretary Kissinger was ...
Every child deserves a world-leading education, and the Coalition Government is making that a priority as part of its 100-day plan. Education Minister Erica Stanford says that will start with banning cellphone use at school and ensuring all primary students spend one hour on reading, writing, and maths each day. ...
I would like to begin by echoing the Prime Ministerâs thanks to the organisers of this Summit, Fran OâSullivan and the Auckland Business Chamber. I want to also acknowledge the many leading exporters, sector representatives, diplomats, and other leaders we have joining us in the room. In particular, I would like ...
Good morning. Thank you, Rosemary, for your warm introduction, and to Fran and Simon for this opportunity to make some brief comments about New Zealandâs relationship with the United States. This is also a chance to acknowledge my colleague, Minister for Trade Todd McClay, Ambassador Tom Udall, Secretary of Foreign ...
Good morning, tÄnÄ koutou and namaskar. Many thanks, Michael, for your warm welcome. I would like to acknowledge the work of the India New Zealand Business Council in facilitating todayâs event and for the Councilâs broader work in supporting a coordinated approach for lifting New Zealand-India relations. I want to also ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has laid out the Coalition Governmentâs plan for its first 100 days from today. âThe last few years have been incredibly tough for so many New Zealanders. People have put their trust in National, ACT and NZ First to steer them towards a better, more prosperous ...
A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. âIâm delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
In rural South Auckland, a team of conservationists head out on a nocturnal mission to track down Aotearoaâs only native land mammal. Asia Martusia King tags along. The bat hunt begins as usual: with Vengaboys. A group of scientists sits somberly around a table in a rural South Auckland paddock, ...
How I faced the limitations of dancing into the âsunset yearsâ of my life.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.Illustrations by kĆ«kĆ«.âTo choose to be a dancer is a lovely act of defianceâ â Daniel Nagrin, How to Dance Forever ...
A landmark Waitangi Tribunal report into injustices suffered by NgÄpuhi will strengthen the iwi's case as it looks to restart its stalled Treaty settlement negotiations, a hapĆ« leader says. ...
In just 18 months, the Auckland-based YouTube channel has gone from working from home and out of cafes to a brand new multi-million dollar studio. Sam Brooks asks the trio how they pulled it off, and what theyâre planning to do with it.On December 4, a video called âThe ...
The Anika Moa Unleashed host unleashes her thoughts on After the Party, Paul Holmes, The Walking Dead, stalking celebrities and more. Anika Moa has a proud history of angering strangers online, whether itâs due to her tattoos, her love life, or something else entirely. When she sits down with The ...
Searching widely for ways to overcome deep opposition by fossil fuel nations to a phase-out of their products, the President of COP28 enlisted an ally while negotiators sought subtler language yesterday. âWe have been asked by the UAE presidency to help find common language that will be acceptable ...
With a topic so universal, itâs almost always about something bigger. Consider the contents of your fridge. What kinds of fruits and vegetables are in your crisper drawer? How much did that block of cheese set you back? Where did you source most of this kai from? Are there ingredients ...
You can read the full story, plus see photographs from Craig McKenzie, in the November-December issue of New Zealand Geographic magazine, or on their website. The bitternâs eerie, booming call sounds like a lament, a tangi ringing across the marshes. Now, the birds themselves are in trouble. ...
Opinion: You may have been there, waiting your turn, wearing an ill-fitting hospital gown, surrounded by a flurry of staff, the smell of disinfectant in the air. If youâve ever undergone surgery, you probably know the nervous, stress-laden pre-op feeling. What may come as a surprise is that ...
 1. In the evening and in the night, I sit on the balcony and think of you. I canât see the water but I know itâs there, soft and slow. We bathed in it that last day, you and I, when the dusk hung heavy as cloth of gold ...
Alex Casey unearths the origin story of an New Zealand icon â featuring a surprise cameo from an international comedy megastar. At first glance, the Facebook post from a Waipu cafe reads like any other heartfelt change in ownership announcement. âGeorge and Amber have reflected on their involvement in our ...
This week on Their house, my garden, why my spinach plant has grown suspiciously tall, and how to deal with your own over-eager plants.  Beginner gardeners would be forgiven for thinking a plant growing tall is reason to celebrate. We are, after all, the kind of species who mark door ...
Luxon drove the crumbling SH2 with a handful of MPs on Friday morning to reach the small town, gauge progress of its recovery, and learn what it needs from the new government. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bianca Baggiarini, Lecturer, Australian National University Last week, reports emerged that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are using an artificial intelligence (AI) system called Habsora (Hebrew for âThe Gospelâ) to select targets in the war on Hamas in Gaza. The system has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Johan Lidberg, Associate Professor, School of Media, Film and Journalism, Monash University The most significant recommendation in the Senate inquiry report on the functionality of the Commonwealth FOI system is this: move the federal Freedom of Information (FOI) function from the Office ...
Analysis: The government was under attack on multiple fronts during a week of relentless criticism and then faced its first Question Time in Parliament, Peter Wilson writes. ...
Well, itâs 4.30pm on a Friday which feels as appropriate time as ever to say goodbye. The Spinoffâs live updates have come to an end, almost four years after they were first switched on. If you missed my explainer this morning of whatâs going on, here it is. In short: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Di Winkler, Adjunct Associate Professor, La Trobe University Shutterstock A home â in the physical and emotional sense â is foundational to living an ordinary life with a feeling of inclusion. National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants with the highest ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darren Roberts, Conjoint Associate Professor in clinical pharmacology and toxicology, St Vincentâs Healthcare Clinical Campus, UNSW Sydney Veronika Kunitsyna/Shutterstock Red imported fire ants are a particularly nasty type of ant because they are aggressive, and inflict painful stings that may ...
Christopher Luxon says the new government is going to continue everything that the previous one put into place to help with the recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle. ...
Te Whatu Ora is continuing to investigate after a data breach that saw vaccine-related information shared online last week. The agency is liaising with the Privacy Commissioner and said it will make âany appropriate notificationsâ if individuals were impacted by the breach. âAlongside the work to identify the material allegedly ...
Live - Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has been in Wairoa this morning to gauge progress of the town's recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle. Watch a media conference with him here. ...
Sam Brooks reviews a new immersive film experience at Aucklandâs planetarium.Journalists get invited to review things all the time. Books, films, shows, exhibitions, all of it. I say yes to a lot of them and âno, sorryâ to a bit more. Very rarely do I go, âAbsolutely I need ...
Waka Kotahi has begun the process of re-adopting its former name, the New Zealand Transport Agency (or NZTA). It follows a directive from the new government that public agencies should have their primary name in English and not te reo. This came as part of the coalition deal between National ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Pavlovich, Senior lecturer in the School of Accounting and Commercial Law, Te Herenga Waka â Victoria University of Wellington The new coalition government has announced a suite of tax reforms, including reintroducing the ability for property investors to deduct the interest ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Booksâ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1Â The Bee Stingby Paul Murray (Hamish Hamilton, $37) The runner-up for the 2023 Booker Prize ...
A new poem by Ćtepoti poet Jasmine O M Taylor. a retreat if you find a chance before theyâve all melted into the air find time to get on a glacier and find a cave in the glacier and go inside the cave inside the glacier it will speak to ...
Our award-winning podcast assesses the opening stanza of the Luxon-led government. After the long, serene political gap as coalition talks went on, politics has roared back with plenty of shouting and not so much rizz. Toby Manhire, Ben Thomas and Annabelle Lee-Mather assess the early exchanges, including Winston Petersâ ...
âThe new government has a clear choice to make before Christmas. Do they live up to their stated intention of governing for all New Zealanders, or do they dash the hopes of tens of thousands of kiwi workers by unilaterally abolishing Fair Pay ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kimberley Reid, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Atmospheric Sciences, Monash University titoOnz, Shutterstock Youâve probably heard El Niño brings hot and dry weather to the eastern states, but what about the rest of Australia? Are we all in for a scorcher ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Currie, Professor of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology Shutterstock Heatwaves are a major public health hazard. Socially disadvantaged people are especially exposed to extreme heat and other impacts of climate change. Many people experiencing homelessness â more than 120,000 ...
The Free Speech Union has sent 14 Cabinet Ministers a comprehensive Briefing to the Incoming Government, outlining five key areas of policy that the Government must address in order to protect and expand Kiwisâ speech rights. We look forward to ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis says she has already met twice with KiwiRail bosses over a "major cost blowout" in the project to replace the Interislander ferries. ...
With the new government gaining international infamy for its climate policy, for rangatahi MÄori like Kaeden Watts, attending climate conferences is more important than ever. Every year world leaders meet for the annual Conference of the Parties (Cop), the worldâs most powerful climate crisis conference. Despite Cop being criticised for ...
Accidental Partridge is one of my favourite Twitter (I am never going to call it X) accounts, and given today is the last day of live updates I think itâs absolutely fair I include a video from it. If you donât know why itâs called Accidental Partridge, go watch all ...
The Taxpayersâ Union is calling on the National Party to front up to consumers who will face 15% higher prices for some services from the likes of Uber, Airbnb and food delivery apps after their app tax U-turn rather than trying to erase all ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hunter Fujak, Lecturer in Sport Management, Deakin University While 2023 was a watershed year for Australian womenâs sport due to the Matildasâ stirring run at the Womenâs World Cup, netball is going through its worst period ever. Netball Australia and the ...
The prime minister is spending the day out of Wellington, touring parts of cyclone-damaged Hawkeâs Bay and meeting with senior leaders in the community. Christopher Luxon began the day in Wairoa, where he met with mayor Craig Little. Later, heâll head to Napier for a meeting with regional council members. ...
How will the new government look at our television? Duncan Greive reflects on this yearâs awards ceremony. This is an excerpt from The Spinoffâs weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. The NZ TV Awards took place in downtown Auckland on Tuesday, which coincided with Te PÄti MÄoriâs National MÄori ...
Responding to news that Wellington City Councillors have voted down a proposal to reduce business rates in the capital, Taxpayersâ Union Policy Adviser, James Ross, said: âWhen Mayor Tory Whanau comes out with a line like âI couldnât in good ...
The new tertiary education minister says Te Pƫkenga will be replaced with eight to 10 individual institutions, and hopes legislation will be in place within eight months. ...
Te KÄhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission has today launched a short film calling for the public and government to champion and protect human rights ahead of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. âSeventy-five years on, ...
The parliamentary motion passed today , a full two months after Israelâs slaughter of Palestinian civilians began, says: "Express grave concern at the ongoing violence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian Territories, unequivocally condemn ...
To replace $700 million a year of revenues lost from a foreign buyers tax, the new coalition government is dumping the previous governmentâs smokefree 2025 goal. This relaxing of policies will keep more people smoking for longer, costing thousands of lives per year and at least $10 billion is extra ...
London has always been a hard place to live, but in 2023, itâs almost impossible. Charlotte Doyle, a New Zealander currently living in London, explores why we keep heading there. âYouâre dreaming,â the letting agent tells me impatiently over the phone. âA one-bedroom for ÂŁ1,500 per month is a needle ...
With The Project wrapping up last week (you can read Duncan Greiveâs excellent reflections on that here), Warner Bros Discovery has announced broadcaster Ryan Bridge will host a brand new current affairs show for Three. The currently unnamed show will focus on live news and interviews and is a return ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew H. Holden, Lecturer, School of Mathematics and Physics, The University of Queensland Dot-underwing moth (_Eudocima materna_) found in the researchers’ yard.Matthew Holden, CC BY-NC We are biodiversity researchers â an ecologist, a mathematician and a taxonomist â who were locked ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Bennett, Disability Program Director, Grattan Institute The long-awaited NDIS review has looked far beyond the National Disability Insurance Scheme, taking a birdâs eye view of disability services in Australia. Critical to the future of the NDIS are services for people with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca J McLeod, Senior Research Fellow in Marine Ecology, University of Otago Climate change might not be high on its immediate agenda, but New Zealandâs new government does have one potentially significant and innovative policy. Recognising the marine environmentâs ability to remove ...
Te Whatu Ora IT worker Barry Young had a ârelatively mutedâ digital presence prior to his arrest last week over a massive Covid data breach, Stuff reports. Young has since become something of a cause celebre among vacccine sceptics, appearing on online shows hosted by local conspiracy theorist Liz Gunn and ...
After an 11 year hiatus, legendary Aotearoa hip-hop group Home Brew are back today with their first new album in over a decade, Run it Back, and will continue that reunion at Laneway Festival in February. Breaking their indefinite hiatus, Run it Back comes off the back off the 2023 ...
There may be less than a fortnight left in the political year, but politicians seem determined to make the final days count, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoffâs morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Question time is ...
Labour's leader says O'Connor is "incredibly passionate" about the issue but party policy is that relevant international bodies will determine whether Israel's actions are lawful. ...
The Spinoffâs live updates editor reflects on three-and-a-half years in the role, and looks forward to whatâs next. Today marks the final day of live updates on The Spinoff. Itâs a big day for me given I have been editing the live updates since mid-2020, but itâs also a big ...
On a quiet morning before the first parliamentary question time of the new term, Chris Hipkins and Christopher Luxon took a moment to analyse and reflect on their election campaigns. When Chris Hipkins was sworn in as prime minister on January 21, 2023, he had a feeling of optimism and ...
Analysis: The United Nations’ COP28 climate negotiations have begun their final phase with only five days or so left to agree a wide range of measures designed to accelerate nationsâ climate responses in coming years. While the draft text prepared by government officials over the past week has some ...
Liv McGoverne has just returned from an enjoyable season playing rugby in England, but playing there in a Black Ferns jersey, on the sportâs biggest stage, remains the ultimate goal. McGoverne, 26, played the 2022-23 campaign for Exeter Chiefs in the Premier 15s competition. Coached by former England half-back ...
FICTION 1 The Girl from London by Olivia Spooner (Hachette, $37.99) An ideal Xmas present for the commercial fiction reader who would relish a wartime story of a shipboard romance. 2 The Axemanâs Carnival by Catherine Chidgey (Te Herenga Waka University Press, $35) An ideal Xmas present for the ...
After most of a billion dollars and six years’ work, the Puhoi to Warkworth section of State Highway 1 has been warmly received by long-distance motorists no longer slowed down by small town traffic lights. Where once cars would back bumper to bumper on a Sunday evening, now the ...
The first regular sitting day of the new Parliament took place on Thursday and the country got a peek at what Question Time will look like over the next three years. The sitting started with a rare moment of cross-party unity, when the Government adopted Labour MP Phil Twyford’s ...
It could be the most consequential international climate change conference yet, but it’s being held in the United Arab Emirates, one of the world’s major oil producers and led by one of the country’s top oil bosses. Newsroom journalist Rod Oram is attending COP28 and joins The Detail from ...
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Opinion: Courts are halls of justice, but they are also well-financed institutional purchasers of goods and services, outsourcing much of their work to private consultants and contractors, including lawyers, advocates, psychologists, social workers, and drug counsellors who earn their living from court contracts. Though there is nothing inherently wrong ...
OK, I am a right of center leaning person but I for one am extremely heartened by the fact that an African American only one generation removed from a hut in a kenyan village is now vying for the most powerful position in the US.
That he could not only be a candidate, but a viable candidate with a real chance of securing the top job, speaks of an optimism that is sadly lacking in the world today.
I don’t know enough about the specifics of the man, but his charisma is self evident.
slightlyrighty, no need for the ‘but’ Obama is right of center too (see the political compass) maybe you’re comment should read “I am a right of center leaning person so I for one am extremely heartened” đ that said, he is (ever so slightly) to the left of Clinton.
Hoorah not a Bush or a Clinton in the Whitehouse
HS
I second that…..
“I don’t know enough about the specifics of the man, but his charisma is self evident.”
that people seem to think that’s enough to qualifiy one for the most powerful job in a coutnry is worrying. Key is trying the same thing on here.
Fortunately, Key is like a hollow bubble in people’s minds. a single prick (“did you know he wanted us to sedn troops to fight in Iraq?” “Did you know he said ‘we would love to see wages drop’?” “did you know he is going to cut spending and increase borrowing to fund tax cuts for the rich?”) and the bubble bursts.
Steve, sadly in politics, and particularly in US politics, charisma is a job requirement.
John Kerry was the most charismatically challenged candiadte the democrats could have feilded, and that gave us 4 more years of Dubya.
Byron,
An interesting site you link to. You could have chosen to link to this site ĂąâŹâ http://nj.nationaljournal.com/voteratings/ ĂąâŹâ which cites a study pointing out that Obama was the most liberal member of the U.S. Senate in 2007.
Steve (and mark down this time),
I agree with you (ouch, that hurt). Obama and Key have got to where they are right now based on very little substance. There are five months or so to the respective elections, though, and both will take major hits in that time.
The good thing for Key is that his party’s WAAAAAAAAAY in front. Obama, though, is virtually neck-and-neck in most polls in a head-to-head with McCain, so the drop-off he experiences will likely see him lose the election.
Scribe,
Maybe that says something about the other members of the senate đ
Just because his voting record is on the left of others doesn’t make his politics ‘left.’ Left in the US really means “less-right” like the political compass site says “Hillary Clinton is popularly perceived as a leftist in the United States while in any other western democracy her record is that of a mainstream conservative” a similar comment could be made about Obama.
That said, mainstream politics has moved to the right here as well, just not to the same extent, the political compass did an analysis of NZ political parties last election, The Labour party is, in terms of its actual politics, on the right, it’s only left when compared to National.
I wonder how accurate that is, or perhaps its simply my (mis)perception being close to NZ politics. But looking at this it appears that Labour is roughly equally close to National, the Greens, and the Progressives. I don’t really think the chances of a coalition involving each of those is equally likely (and remember this is for 05 where National was much further right than at present). It does provide an interesting view on the Labour/National/Green and Labour/National/Maori axes.
I hate it when people compare Obama to Key.
Key is a lot like George W Bush. Key comes to politics as a hobby. Key has no principles. Key is manufactured. Key is a PR exercise with no substance. Key tells you want you want to hear to get your vote. In short, Key is slippery as a snake in wet grass.
That is how the US got W twice. Is that what NZ wants?
I know Obama talks change, but no matter who wins in the US there is change. That is how the system works. W can’t run again – thank god! So, it is not the same situation as here in NZ.
BeShakey,
It does provide an interesting view on the Labour/National/Green and Labour/National/Maori axes.
Is that more than one axis or more than one axe? đ
Scribe:
Most polls have Obama with a substantial lead. Fox News gives a 3% advantage to McCain though đ
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/general_election_mccain_vs_obama-225.html#polls
Still too close to call just yet though. Obama has charisma and the “change” meme on his side, so McCain has to be seen as the under-dog in those regards.
Steve Pierson – with due respect, seeing as this is your blog, and I am a mere guest, WTF does John Key have to do with Barack Obama, and why do you guys feel the need to use any thread to denigrate him?
Inventory2
Because Key ‘borrowed’ the “time for change” mantra
IV2 – John Key is looking to become PM of NZ without a policy platform. Most thinking people are unsettled by this – though some of them just dislike the Labour Party that they see in the media so much that want any kind of “change”.
Others are purely ideologically right-wing so invite Key’s secret agenda- i.e. the fact that he hasn’t announced policy gets them even more exited because they suspect it’s so right-wing that it’s dangerous to announce to the public.
This is why thinking people on the left are scared of John Key
The difference between Key and Obama is that just to reach this point (in each case, roughly 5 months out from an election) Obama has been through dozens of lengthy televised debates, countless interviews, all kinds of scrutiny, day in, day out, exhausting and exhaustive, at the hands of some of the toughest media in the world, comprising literally thousands of journalists and other interrogators.
There’s clearly a lot more there than just charisma, or he would have fallen by the wayside long ago.
On the other hand, to reach this point Key has had to smile a lot, and say “cheese”.
John Key: Cheese we can believe in.
Nedyah Hsan
“Time for a change” has been around for a while. Norm Kirk used it to unseat Holyoake’s government in 1972!
Anyway, the point of my post was that this is a thread about Barack Obama. This is a historic day – an American party selecting an African-American to run for the White House. To turn it into yet ANOTHER Standard thread attacking John Key trivialises Obama’s achievement.
Well, that’s the first part of that bet lost. Way back before the primaries started I picked Clinton to lose to McCain in the eventual election. Looks like I might lose the second part, too, thought I won’t be too sad either way.
Bringing it back to Key-Obama, I think a lot of the discourse is interesting. Neither have much real policy, both are positioning themselves as The Future – different futures, but there’s not all that much information about HOW different except what party’s lapel pin they wear (and in what country, natch). Yet people seem to be responding differently to them despite this lack of information, and making no allusions to what they do or don’t actually value.
As far as Obama goes, and why I hold a higher opinion of him than I do of Key: the fact that he’s black matters a lot to me, and gives his `change’ message an amount of credibility that a middle-aged white man with a finance background can’t muster. Also – the man can speak. I lamented when Tony Blair left Number 10 that English-language politics had lost one of its few genuinely great orators. Don’t care much for Blair’s policies, but he could speak, and that matters. Obama is in the same league. Bill Clinton was arguably so. (Churchill still chairs that great debate in the sky).
L
Captcha: `during drinks’. If only.
Lew, I agree with much of your post, but this:
“Neither have much real policy”
is only true of Key. It is not true at all for Obama. Check for yourself:
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/
There are dozens of sub-headings and details. You could spend the rest of the week reading up on specific policies.
Then compare with Key’s own website.
I’d like to believe that Obama as El Presidente would change anything in the US and, by ripple effect, the world. But it will most definitely be business as usual.
The US is now a corporatist state. EVERYTHING that can be has been or is being outsourced/ privatised..’homeland security’, logistical backup to their armed forces, welfare programmes, prisons, education system…the list goes on.
Obama could only run with massive underwritings from the corporate sector…same as all the others. He is ‘their’ man. They all are. Forget the fact he is Afro/American. He will do as much positive stuff for them as a section of the population as Margaret Thatcher did for British women in the 80s…sweet F.A.
gobsmacked,
The difference between Key and Obama is that just to reach this point (in each case, roughly 5 months out from an election) Obama has been through dozens of lengthy televised debates, countless interviews, all kinds of scrutiny, day in, day out, exhausting and exhaustive, at the hands of some of the toughest media in the world, comprising literally thousands of journalists and other interrogators.
The media is undoubtedly in love with Obama, so I think you’re overstating just how much scrutiny he’s come under. Obama did get a tough time in one of the ABC debates, but that’s about it.
He has been to 57 states, though, (or is it 60?) so he’s obviously campaigning hard đ
“Over the last 15 months, we’ve traveled to every corner of the United States. I’ve now been in 57 states? I think one left to go. Alaska and Hawaii, I was not allowed to go to even though I really wanted to visit, but my staff would not justify it.”
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/05/barack-obama-wa.html
Imagine if Bush said this, how big the coverage would have been. Or McCain; he’d have been portrayed as too old to be president.
As much as I’d like to say it, Obama will be President, it doesn’t smack of much conviction.
Regardless of the fact the senate is largely democratic, it’s no indication of having a democratic president. Clinton got in when the senate was fully republican.
Aside from that, MHO is that Americans are too emotionally retarded to entertain the notion of a black president. They can’t even conceive of bi-racial relationships “You go out with a black man? But you’re white!”, something that’s the norm here.
All power to Obama though, I just don’t think he’s going to be the victor.
I find it largely amusing that Ron Paul is still running to be a Presidential candidate. Perhaps he’s bored?
IV2
” To turn it into yet ANOTHER Standard thread attacking John Key trivialises Obama’s achievement.”
If you believe that so strongly, why are you attempting to make this thread about John Key?
Nedyah,
Aside from that, MHO is that Americans are too emotionally retarded to entertain the notion of a black president.
Not sure if it’s emotional retardation that’s holding them back, but it’s pretty clear to me they won’t vote a black man president. Just look at the Democratic primaries; if there’s race-based voting there, and there certainly has been, then the Dems have thrown all their eggs in the wrong basket. It’s no secret Republicans will be even less likely to vote a black man in.
Given the low ratings of the Bush administration and dissatisfaction with the Iraq war, John Edwards (or Dodd or Biden or Richardson) may well have waltzed into the White House. But the Dems wanted an out-of-the-box candidate (black man or white woman), but that may now backfire on them because they’re not starting with every voter in play.
gobsmacked: Thanks, you’re right.
L
“Don’t care much for Blair’s policies, but he could speak, and that matters. Obama is in the same league. Bill Clinton was arguably so. (Churchill still chairs that great debate in the sky).”
Interesting article by Jon Johannsen in the Listener saying he finds Obama’s speeches are generally far too long.
Will be interesting to see who he choses as VP. Probably John Edwards? Hard to imagine Hillary being VP.
“Aside from that, MHO is that Americans are too emotionally retarded to entertain the notion of a black president. They can’t even conceive of bi-racial relationships “You go out with a black man? But you’re white!’, something that’s the norm here.”
Apparently white men dating black women is something of a taboo within the African American community? The prejudice doesn’t just come from one side.
In terms of race as a factor in the election, it will be interesting to see whether Obama can win over Hispanic voters, who generally supported Hillary. http://www.newsweek.com/id/104725
Scribe:
I think you underestimate the “mood for change” in the US.
Many people want a shift back to humane liberalism, and are cynical about getting that from an aged, white Republican.
At this stage Obama’s definitely odds on, though it really depends on whether the corporate media (which ultimately is controlled by only a dozen or so very wealthy individuals) decides to turn on him or not.
roger,
Maybe you’re right about the mood for change. But, as much as the Dems like talking about a “third Bush term”, McCain is vastly different from Dubya. There will be a fair amount of change if McCain gets in, though not necessarily in the areas the American public want.
Part of the US mood for change is the desire for less partisanship in Washington. The fact is that McCain has been as bipartisan as anyone in recent memory, which is a marked contrast from Obama who talks about reaching across the aisle but whose record shows little, if any, action in that regard.
McCain also has unRepublican views on things like climate change and immigration and interrogation etc etc, so he’s going to grab a lot of independents and those racist Democrats who won’t vote for a black man.
McCain is also much more down-to-earth than Obama. Americans have something of a recent history of voting for guys they’d like to have a beer with; I think McCain wins that (small) demographic.
Regarding the media, I can’t see the big media folks turning on Obama. How great is the first-black-president story? Too good to try to disrupt.
Ben: I’ve a lot of time for Jon’s work on leadership, (his paper on Orewa is particularly valuable to my research) so I’ll track this article down. Long or not, Obama is an orator.
Incidentally, there’s a lot of waffle, mostly among people who don’t really know what they’re talking about, on the `presidentialisation’ of NZ politics. Most people take this to mean that the personality of a leader is seen to trump party policy, but in actuality a presidential system is wildly different. I think with two campaigns running mostly in parallel in the US and NZ we’ll have an interesting case study to look at this idea.
L
“Many people want a shift back to humane liberalism, and are cynical about getting that from an aged, white Republican.”
Right, so Condoleezza Rice would have been ok then? What has McCain’s skin colour got to do with anything? Would you doubt John Edwards’ commitment to humane liberalism on that basis too?
Ben R – it’s more a combination of factors than any one of them. Oh and yes, I think Condoleezza Rice(without her “bush connection”) could sell a platform based on humane liberalism better than McCain could.
Like it or not demographic status has an impact – even if only for the way that the media uses culturally recognisable “frames” to elicit associations between a candidate and certain characteristics supposedly associated with their demographic.
i.e. “welfare’ portfolios are often handled by women for this reason because they’re seen to have “caring” and “nurturing” qualities etc . Because of the qualities ascribed to them the’re seen to be more “credible” in those roles.
roger nome said “IV2
“To turn it into yet ANOTHER Standard thread attacking John Key trivialises Obama’s achievement.’
If you believe that so strongly, why are you attempting to make this thread about John Key?”
Aw gee – actually rog, I didn’t. Steve P did, about five posts in
“Steve Pierson
June 4, 2008 at 1:45 pm
“I don’t know enough about the specifics of the man, but his charisma is self evident.’
that people seem to think that’s enough to qualifiy one for the most powerful job in a coutnry is worrying. Key is trying the same thing on here.
Fortunately, Key is like a hollow bubble in people’s minds. a single prick (‘did you know he wanted us to sedn troops to fight in Iraq?’ “Did you know he said ĂąâŹËwe would love to see wages drop’?’ “did you know he is going to cut spending and increase borrowing to fund tax cuts for the rich?’) and the bubble bursts.”
So roger nome – just in case you’re too obtuse to notice; the thread is entitled “Obama clinches nomination” – Steve doesn’t mention Obama at all, but twice refers to Key in unflattering terms. I would have thought that after his earlier “gossip” thread about Key “buying” his seat, he had an adequate forum to attack Key. But to me, it simply adds to the perception that The Standard exists soley to denigrate Key. However, as I said in the first contribution to this thread, it’s his blog, and I am a mere guest!
Thanks for the link Gobsmacked. Glancing at his policies I see he is more right wing than I thought (It would be nice if we could get this much information from John Key). Looks like all America is getting is a change of face. Not that I ever expected there to be real change in America.
So its Obama versus old man McCain.
I’m afraid Faux News is going to crucify Obama, every person from his church will be interviewed saying wacky things.
Scribe, McCain has a reputation for being a mavericky bipartisan that his record doesn’t live up to. On his signature claims in this regard he has backtracked in order to get the nomination.
He voted to allow the CIA to use torture, the bill passed anyway but Bush vetoed it. On gay rights and other social issues he has gone from calling the hard right ‘agents of intolerance’ to courting their votes and endorsments. On “Executive authority” he has gone from saying that the President must obey all laws passed by congress regardless of circumstances, to of course the President can ask telecom. companies to spy on US citizens without warrants and of course they should comply. He has gone from saying that Bush’s tax cuts were reckless, to saying he will not only extend them, but massively increase them. He is BushIII in any way that matters.
Obama has shown that he can work accross the aisle in many places. The senate in the last few years has not been conducive to this because the GOP has been the party of NO. They have fillibusted and held up more legislation in the last two years than any other congressional minority has managed to do in four. So it’s pretty rich to blame Obama for this.
Back in his state career many Republicans speak well of him. He managed to pass a law requiring video taping of confessions and interrogations for suspects in death penalty cases. This law was needed because some convicted guys were getting off on appeal due to police brutality and suspect confessions.
Initially he was opposed by the police (who didn’t like being tarred with the nasty stuff), the republicans (who find it hard to look soft with regard to the death penalty), and the democrats (who are scared of the republicans calling them soft on crime). Obama worked the aisle, got the support of the police and the bill passed unanimously. He won everyone over. If you havn’t heard of this it’s because the press loves Obama and really wants to tell his story. But only if it involves him bowling. On account of Obama being such an elitist and all.
You claim that Obama gets a free ride from the press, noting the state number gaffe. Really? How about the fact that McCain, when speaking on Iraq which is supposed to be his area of super duper knowledge, he can’t get the basics right. Like how many troops were there before the surge. Or who is allied to Iran. Or who the shiites are. Or the strength of AQ in Iraq. Or whether or not Petraeus can drive around without security. How often do these “gaffes” get mentioned in comparison to Obama’s preacher? Which issue more important to Americans according to the polls?
I think McCain has had the free ride, and that once the nomination gets settled he won’t be able to hide. Obama seems eager to go after him in a way no Democrat candidate has done for a while. McCains speech today was purely defensive, trying to say “I’m not Bush, honest”.
Good luck with that John, Bush is going to be speaking at your convention and he still has 28 percent support. It’s pathetic but McCain absolutley needs those 28 percenters.
Brett: I’m afraid I think that Fox news is probably the classic bottom feeder news service. Their ‘news service’ looks far more like an entertainment channel than anything real.
But I thought people might be amused by this link I ran across while hunting other material.
Poll: 2004 Election Was Stolen (‘Cept Fox Viewers)
Typical online poll.
Hey Lynn, wonderful. The left hand side is an almost perfect profile of my own viewing of those US channels that are available here. No wonder I believe the 2004 election was stolen.
[Captcha: reality sloppy… now I’m starting to believe in the captcha monkey]
Aside from that, MHO is that Americans are too emotionally retarded to entertain the notion of a black president.
How ridiculous to direct that comment toward Americans in general! As a New Englander, I’ve not met a single person who would vote for McCain! The Northern U.S. is all for Obama! I realize that my country gets a bad rap due to our current politics, but most of us up here believe the past two elections to be entirely corrupt.
Jillian. Agreed.
In general saying “Americans are like this” is like saying “Europeans are like that”. It’s silly more than anything.
It’s tempting for those of us on the fringes of the empire to generalise the attitudes of America’s government to her citizens, or to imagine that the stereotype of one region applies across the whole nation.
It seems to me, looking from afar, that the stereotype often used is the same one that some US politicians use to describe the ‘real American’. That’s unhelpful.
, but most of us up here believe the past two elections to be entirely corrupt.
Jillian, I happen to agree. What is being done to make sure that the next one will be better?
Perhaps they should have an EFA in the US r0b ?
Perharps the company making the polling machines shouldnt be dontating money to one of the parties? or at least open up thier software for inspection…
Obama speech to AIPAC: “F*** all change!”